Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

Saturday, February 12, 2011

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

This is such a challenging verse.

Summary: One day all of the saints will stand before the judgement seat of Christ and be judged according to their deeds. Everything we ever said or did will become manifest on that day, including our motives behind them. Each deed will be tested with fire. Some of them will be burned up (the wood, hay, and straw) while others will endure (gold, silver, and precious stones). On that day we will receive rewards for all those deeds which remained through the fire.

My thoughts: In today's day and age we are told that we just simply have to be saved (allow Christ to build the foundation mentioned in the passage above). However, rarely are we challenged to continue to build upon that foundation. Rarely are we challenged to live a life of true abandon for Jesus.

I like the way Mike Bickle said it in a couple of His sermons:

"If you live what is commonly understood by the western church as a life of dedication, and that is the only thing you do, you will have this spoken over you when you stand before Jesus: 'You are saved, but your life was a waste.'"

I can think of absolutely nothing more heartbreaking that to stand before Jesus knowing that the life He gave me was completely wasted! I long for nothing more than to know that my life was pleasing before Him... to stand before Him and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

The cry of my heart is that God will judge me and convict me severely now so that I will stand before Him on that day unashamed. I strive not to merely "squeak by", but to daily ask myself, "How far can I go in my abandonment to Christ? What is the very most I can do out of love for Him?"

Verse of the Month: September

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.